If a Storm Strikes: Don’t Be in the Dark…

Being in the dark is an uncomfortable feeling, in more ways than one, when it’s Hurricane Season.

The useful tips below about gathering pertinent information will help enlighten and prepare you for unpredictable emergencies.

The National Hurricane Center

advises everyone:

§ Know if you live in an evacuation area (Fort Bend County is designated by the state as a pass-through county for evacuees who live along the Gulf Coast. As a municipality in the county, Missouri City would not be under a mandatory evacuation if a hurricane were to hit the region – so it is imperative that residents be prepared to shelter in place.)

§ Understand National Weather Service forecasts, and especially the meaning of hurricane and tornado watches and warnings. Hurricanes: For a storm watch in this category, forecasters would report a possibility of winds of 74 mph and higher within 36 hours. For a warning, forecasters would report a possibility of winds at the same speed within 24 hours. Tornadoes: A watch is an alert to monitor the skies and a warning signals that a tornado has struck the ground and shelter must be sought immediatley.

The national safety group also stresses the importance of keeping a list of informational resources for reference. A recommended list for Missouri City residents includes: